Just as You Expected: Police Report a 50% Increase in Robberies Thanks to Everyone Wearing Masks

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. listens to questions during a news conference on Capitol Hill Thursday, April 30, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Well, it’s happened — like you knew it would.

The proliferation of masks in our society has resulted in a giant increase in armed robberies.

Call it a newfound element of surprise.

In the past, that ski-masked dude beside you at the bank might raise suspicion.

But now, the armed and aspiring thief wouldn’t stand out — he’s just another guy protecting his (and your) health. Until he hits you with a hammer.

And police are noticing: In Santa Ana, California, cops report a 50% increase in robberies since the lockdown began.

Gas station/convenience store owner Elias Khawan recently described the situation to CBS-LA:

“It’s horrible. I mean, I know we have to take certain measures because of what’s happening with COVID-19, but it’s the perfect script or manual for a robber — the mask, the sunshade and a hoodie. You don’t know who’s coming, who’s walking in.”

As noted by Channel 2, such an incident occurred last month in San Bernardino County:

“In an April robbery, a thief hid his face with a bandana at a doughnut shop on Bristol. The cashier was caught off guard when the thief pulled out a gun and placed it on the counter. The thief then emptied both registers before getting away.”

Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna lamented the new normal:

“It’s the norm. So we’re seeing more and more suspects wearing the mask and using that to their benefit.”

In Connecticut, a guy’s been charged with five gas station robberies — all while sportin’ his pandemic-friendly faceguard.

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And here’s a surgically-masked man officials believe may be responsible for six bank robberies:

Courtesy of the AP — by way of The Daily Wire — Pennsylvania Police Chief Richard Bell says crooks are no dummies:

“Criminals, they’re smart and this is a perfect opportunity for them to conceal themselves and blend right in.”

Well, some are crafty; I’ve been collecting exceptions for your pleasure:

Man Attempts Armed Robbery, Accidentally Gives His Victim the Gun (Video)

Louisiana Man Reports Being Shot at, Directs Cops to the Scene. But He Fails to Consider One Extremely Important Detail

Texas Homeowner is Faced with an Armed Robber, Takes the Crook’s Gun Away and Shoots Him with It

And the crown jewel:

13-Time Felon Accidentally Shoots Himself in the Testicles While Carrying Drugs in His Anus – As You Do

But it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if everyone looks like a robber, it’s easier to be one.

More from the AP:

In March, two men walked into Aqueduct Racetrack in New York wearing the same kind of surgical masks as many racing fans there and, at gunpoint, robbed three workers of a quarter-million dollars they were moving from gaming machines to a safe. Other robberies involving suspects wearing surgical masks have occurred in North Carolina, and Washington, D.C, and elsewhere in recent weeks. … [T]he prevalence of masks in society has created other problems for law enforcement. Before life in a pandemic, masked marauders had to free their faces immediately after leaving a bank or store to avoid suspicion once in the general public. But it came with the risk of being photographed and identified through omnipresent surveillance cameras and cellphones. These days, they can keep the masks on and blend in easily with or without being “captured” in images.

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We’re living in dangerous times — not only might you catch the coronavirus, but amid everyone’s effort to keep from getting it, you may find yourself on the wrong end of a stick-up.

And not the deodorizing kind.

But that’d be of particular use as of late, because all of this stinks.

-ALEX

 

See 3 more pieces from me:

New Yorker Travels to Hawaii for a Getaway But Doesn’t Get Away – From the Cops, for Going to the Beach

Faring Well: Report Claims Two-Thirds of Americans Are Making More on Unemployment Than When They Were Working

Take a Peek Into Portland’s Drive-Thru Strip Joint, and Gawk Over Its Name for Disrobed Deliveries

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